This invention relates to satellite inspection systems and more particularly to an electro-optical system for making optical observations of a satellite in space and of transmitting this optical picture of the satellite by microwave data transmission to a ground station.
In prior systems for visual inspection of satellites in space by hovering-type satellite interceptors, a camera is used to take pictures of the satellite which camera is later dropped to earth. The camera is contained in a recoverable capsule which is released from the interceptor and is protected against the re-entry heat when falling back to earth. It has to be slowed down before it reaches the ground to prevent destruction upon impact. It is subsequently located by search aircraft with the aid of a beacon and recovered. This procedure is not only time consuming, but costly.